


bad decisions

by Daisies_and_Roses



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Bar, Bisexual Female Character, Blood and Injury, Drunken Confessions, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Female Friendship, Fist Fights, Fluff, Foster Care, Friendship, Gen, Hacker Skye | Daisy Johnson, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Movie Night, Partying, Police, Stabbing, Teen Skye, Underage Drinking, movie theater
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-16 17:21:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29086038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daisies_and_Roses/pseuds/Daisies_and_Roses
Summary: 16-year-old Skye just wants freedom. She's beyond tired of the foster care system, so when an opportunity arises to become a part of something more, she's all for it. Of course, hanging out with older guys doesn't turn out well. Luckily, the undercover Melinda May is there to guide her.
Relationships: Andrew Garner/Melinda May, Melinda May & Skye | Daisy Johnson, Phil Coulson & Melinda May, Skye | Daisy Johnson & Original Character(s), Skye | Daisy Johnson & Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 68





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! Just a reminder to read the tags before reading. There is a slight, non-graphic mention of vomiting and this story also surrounds the topic of underage drinking and coersion. If any of that isn't for you, don't read!

“Oh come on, don’t be a baby,” Chris shouted over the loud music and hollers that reverberated throughout the bar. He smirked at the young Skye, bobbing his head to the music and watching the liquid bounce in the beer bottle.

Skye bit her lip, looking down at the bottle in her hand. Chris had handed it to her a few minutes ago and she was too scared to drink it. She was only sixteen and the most she’d had was a can of Limerita a foster sister snuck to her. Not wanting to disappoint her new friend, Skye now plastered on a smile and tilted her head back, letting the liquid fall into her mouth.

It didn’t taste as good as she’d hoped, but she didn’t dare let Chris know that. She pressed her lips together and shot him a thumbs-up.

“Come on!” he shouted. “Finish it off!”

Skye sighed and shook her head, closing her eyes as she gulped the rest of the beer down. It burned a little in her stomach and she had a strong urge to vomit it all back up. Chris was impressed with the teen’s drinking skills and made her down another beer bottle before she finally cut it off.

Skye began scanning the crowded bar for her other friends. Her eyes finally landed upon her friend Heather, who was seated on a disgusting sticky couch next to her boyfriend. Skye weaved her way through the crowd, heaving a sigh of relief when she finally managed to escape the mass of people. She set her beer on the table in front of the couch, yawning and collapsing into the chair behind her. 

“What happened to _you_?” Heather asked as she took a sip of her gin and tonic. 

Skye grumbled, removing her beanie and rubbing her hair underneath. She was sprawled out on the chair, tired and just wanting to go home. “Chris gave me two beers.”  
  


Heather stuck out her bottom lip. “Oh, how sweet!” She tilted her head, stirring her drink. “Baby’s first drink.”  
  


Skye rolled her eyes, scoffing and sitting up a little. She slid her beanie back on and rested her chin on her hand. She nodded to the clearly-wasted, sleepy boyfriend next to Heather. “I just want to know when they’re going to hurry up and give me my end of the agreement.”  
  


Heather looked at her boyfriend, running her thumb over his cheekbone. “All good things come with time.” She was clearly too infatuated with the man next to her to be paying attention to Skye, so the younger girl took the opportunity to slip away, sliding into the restroom.

Skye looked at herself in the mirror, leaning against the counter. She sighed, turning on the faucet and drinking a bit of the water with her hands. She scowled and spit it out onto the floor immediately. “Bad decision,” she told herself. “Not the only bad one I’ve made tonight,” she mumbled, stepping into a stall and sitting back on the toilet, slouching against the wall behind her. She tore off a square of toilet paper and started folding it into a paper crane like her middle school friend taught her. Her fingers weren’t working at their best and she got so frustrated with it she yelled and tossed the paper outside the stall.

Skye knew she shouldn’t have gotten herself into this. Last week, she’d overheard her senior friend, Heather, talking about her boyfriend, Brian’s, tech gang. She managed to get his number from Heather and started stalking his MySpace and records. She found out that he currently attended the LA City College as a comp-sci major and she was able to coerce Heather into telling her about Brian’s business with his roommates. Apparently, he and his two tech-savvy friends were dumpster-diving and putting together high-quality, powerful computers designed for hackers. Obviously, Skye became interested. Sure, she had that old ratty laptop she won on a bet last summer, but it could only do so much. Plus, its battery was crap. A new computer might mean freedom from the god-awful foster care system.

And now here she was. Stuck in a bar bathroom, crying, apparently. The boys had wanted to “initiate” her into the group before giving her the free laptop. She knew she’d have to work a lot for them to earn their respect so she half-planned on taking her new computer and running.

Skye straightened up when she heard the restroom door opening. She watched the feet from under the stall and sighed in relief when she realized it wasn’t Heather’s shoes. Flushing the toilet for effect, she left the stall and washed her hands. She wiped a dirt stain off her cheek before leaving, closing her eyes for a moment as the loud music flooded her ears once more.

\----

At some point, Chris and the other guy Alex had bought Skye a few shots of whiskey, and being the always-grateful foster kid she was, she had to accept the offers. Getting drunk wasn’t something the girl was familiar with, so naturally she didn’t handle it too well.

The bartender wiped off the counter in front of the three friends, eyeing the confused Skye closely. She seemed sad, disoriented, almost, and the two guys next to her seemed a little too comfortable.

The bartender eyed Skye. “Hey, kid, how old are you?”

Skye mumbled something under her breath but smiled and laughed to herself instead. The bartender looked to Alex for an answer.

Alex grinned widely, wrapping his long arm around Skye’s narrow shoulders and roughly jostling her around. “Aw, Skye here turned 21 on Tuesday. Girl’s never had a drink in her life.” He ruffled the beanie on her head.

The bartender narrowed his eyes in suspicion but left them alone. Technically, he was supposed to ask for ID, but he didn’t feel like ruining someone else’s Friday night. He made a mental note to keep an eye on her just in case.

\-----

“Okay, so, I was, like, ‘No! You can’t take my gym socks!’ But she didn’t listen. She didn’t,” Skye told the friends surrounding her, crossing her arms and scowling, pouty. She was sitting on the sticky couch, Heather and Brian next to her and Chris and Alex standing near, both heavily drinking.

“Hey girl,” Chris said, stumbling toward Skye and droopily smiling at her. “You excited to join our gang eh?”

“Yeahhhh!” Skye replied, playfully punching his arm. “That new…” She hiccuped. “...computer sounds real good to me right about now.”

Chris nodded, closing his eyes and dancing to the music. “Yeahhh...you’re gonna be great on our team. Brian’s girl says you’re real smart.”

Skye nodded, smiling a droopy smile herself. “Uh-huh, smart enough to take the laptop and leave ‘soon as I can.”

“Mmhmm…” It took Chris a second to comprehend that. His eyes widened and he began to get angry. “WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?”

Skye’s eyes widened. She stood and motioned to the door with her thumb. “Buddies, I think it’s about time I go.”  
  


“Like hell,” Alex said, grabbing her shoulder to stop her. Skye was much smaller than these older guys and, even drunk, knew she didn’t have a chance against them in a physical fight. Swallowing, she pressed her lips together and tried to focus.

“Let me go,” she demanded.

“Not when we buy a whole week’s wages worth of drinks for you!” Chris shouted, shoving her back a step. “And you go and tell us you’re just gonna scam us?”  
  


“I bet all you wanted this whole time was that goddamn laptop!” Brian chimed in, pointing an accusing finger at Skye.

“YOU’RE NOT WRONG!” the girl yelled, reciprocating the men’s anger. Heather looked up at Skye, sending her a mental warning to leave before it was too late. 

It was too late.

Skye felt the impact of the punch before she saw the fist. Her entire jaw blossomed with pain and she fell backwards, disoriented. When she regained her balance, she saw Chris clenching his jaw and waving off his hand. Skye grabbed her face, feeling the blood already trickling from her lip. She furrowed her brow and squared up, ready to fight the two men in front of her. She managed to kick Chris in the groin before they were interrupted.

“GET OUT OF MY BAR!” came the bartender’s voice. Everyone scurried away.

Skye stepped back from Chris and Alex, realizing what she’d done. She was a 16 year old, in a bar, drunk...Oh, holy hell, was she in trouble. 

“You!” the bartender shouted at Chris and Alex. “Get the hell out!” 

The guys flipped a few birds and dirty looks before leaving, but not before Alex kneed Skye in the chest. The girl got the wind knocked out of her and doubled over, just enough time for Brian, Chris, Alex, and Heather to escape. Heather gave Skye one last look of apology before grabbing her coat and lacing her arm into Brian’s.

The bartender crouched down, putting his hand on Skye’s shoulder. “Hey kid, I’m sorry I called the cops on you,” he said gently. She looked up at him with pleading eyes. “I knew you were way too young to be here. I was worried something bad was going on with you and those guys and figured it’d be best if you got out of here somehow.”

Skye nodded, leaning back onto the bottom of the couch and clutching her stomach. “I get it.”

The bartender pressed his lips together and nodded, standing as he motioned to the cops who were entering. 

“You again? Mary Sue…” one officer grumbled as he fumbled with the handcuffs on his utility belt. He and another woman grabbed Skye’s arms, gently lifting her to her feet.

The man started cuffing Skye’s hands behind her back. “You’ve got to stop getting yourself into trouble,” the policewoman said to her. She tutted at the cuts and bruises on her face. “And look, you got yourself hurt this time.”

“And drunk,” the man mumbled. He nodded at Skye. “Go ahead and walk in a straight line toward the tables for me.”

Rolling her eyes, Skye attempted the task, but failed. The woman had to grab her arm to keep from falling. The man scoffed. “Drunk as a...whatever the reference is.”

They started to lead Skye out of the bar. “We’ll see what the judge has to say this time,” the man said. “But I have a feeling this isn’t gonna look good for you.”

“I’m sorry,” Skye mumbled quietly. “Didn’t mean…”

“I know, Mary Sue. We’re gonna try our best,” the woman said. 

The man shoved Skye into the police car, buckling her seatbelt for her before hopping into the driver’s seat. The woman got into the passenger’s.

“I really didn’t mean it this time, I promise,” Skye slurred. “I didn’t.”

“I know, honey, I know,” said the woman. She sighed, pressing her lips together as she watched the city go by.

Finally, they approached the police station. “We’re here, Agent May,” the man said.

Melinda May nodded, looking up at the building. Pressing her lips together, she took a deep breath. She was going to miss this assignment.


	2. The Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skye finds herself in yet another sticky situation. Agent May is there to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I decided to write this chapter when inspiration hit. Please read the updated tags. There is lots of fluff in this chapter but also some violence.

_ “Agent May? Hello? Melinda...” _ came the voice from the other end of the phone. Said Melinda was a light sleeper and quickly opened her eyes, jerking to a sitting position and grabbing her flip-phone. 

“H-Hello?” she asked, groggy and confused.

_ “Thank God. May, it’s Phil.” _

Melinda sighed in relief and ran her fingers through her messy hair and rubbed her collarbone. “What do you need?”

  
_ “It’s time to come in. Fury just needs you to send in a written report for debrief,” _ he informed her.

“Alright.” She stood from the hotel room bed and bent down, picking up her sweatshirt and sliding it on one arm at a time. “I’ll meet you at Elmer’s Coffee in half an hour so you can take it to him.”

“Perfect. See you then, Melinda.” She could hear the smile in his voice. The crackling noise of him hanging up sounded.

Sighing, May internally scolded herself for forgetting to set an alarm to do early morning tai chi. Oh well, she could do it later this evening when she finally got home.

\-----

“Mary Sue, you’ve got a visitor,” announced Sister Colette, opening the door to Skye’s room. The girl sat up from her bunk, furrowing her brow then standing. 

“Who is it?” she asked.   
  


The nun looked down at the small paper in her hands. “She said her name was Heather. She seems like a fine young lady.” Sr. Colette smiled.

Skye’s eyes widened and she grabbed her backpack off the bed, slinging it quickly over her shoulder. “I’ll be right down,” she told the nun, gently pushing past her and running down the hall.

“I didn’t expect them to let me in,” Heather said to the younger girl, watching as she burst into the meeting room, slamming and locking the door behind her. Heather smirked. “What’s the long face for, Mary Sue?”

“Don’t call me that,” she mumbled. Skye narrowed her eyes and stepped closer to the older girl. “Cut to the chase, Heather. What does he want?”   
  


The older girl’s face quickly turned somber. She bit her lip, looking at Skye with pity. “Brian isn’t happy.”

Skye groaned, burying her face in her hands and allowing herself to fall onto the couch. “I didn’t take the damn computer. It’s already been a week. Tell him to leave me alone.”

Heather sighed, crossing her arms over her chest and knitting her eyebrows. Though she wouldn’t admit it, she felt guilty for bringing Skye into this mess. “I didn’t know his gang was this brutal. They hold  _ big _ grudges. Skye, please, just- ”

“I’m not going to listen to you.”

“Skye- ”

“You betrayed me once before. I won’t let it happen again.”

“You know I didn’t mean it.”

Skye closed her eyes, shaking her head. She stood from the couch and looked up at the taller girl. “What does he want?”

“He wants to give you a second chance,” she replied.

Skye scoffed, turning away from Heather and gripping the straps of her backpack. “I call BS. If he really wanted my skills, he wouldn’t have- ”

“They lost Chris.”

Skye turned. “What?”   
  


“He got nabbed by campus police and caught with stolen hardware. He’s in jail for the next year. He was their hacking guy.”

Skye laughed. “I’m a 16-year-old orphan with self-taught hacking skills. I think your boyfriend can suffice without me.”

Heather shook her head, now looking into Skye’s eyes with a new light. The younger girl suddenly became serious, mirroring Heather’s sudden mood change. “It’s either that or you will  _ never _ see the end of it.”

There was a solid minute of silence before Skye broke out of her fear trance, shaking her head. “I’m leaving. I’m not gonna believe you, not after you left me at the bar to rot.” She unlocked the door.

Heather opened her mouth to say something. “Skye!”

It was too late. The girl had already ran off.

\-----

“Fashionably late,” Melinda quipped with a smile, watching her partner sit down across from her. She had chosen a table on the outdoor patio because it was such a nice autumn day. 

Phil returned the smile, flattening out his blazer before pulling out his chair and sitting down. He set his briefcase on the ground next to him then folded his hands on the table. “How have you been, May?”

May chuckled, gripping her warm coffee mug. “Eight weeks in LA and I feel like a movie star.”

Coulson raised his eyebrows. “I’m surprised. You don’t seem like the type to…” His mouth formed an “O” when he saw the other agent’s glare. “You were joking.”

Melinda scoffed and sipped her coffee. “You never fail to charm me, Phil.”

“Likewise.” The man turned away from looking at the street to eye his partner.

Melinda shook her head after a minute. “Anyway, the report.”

“Right,” Coulson straightened up a bit in his seat. “How was the girl?”   
  


“Mary Sue likes to get herself into trouble. A lot.” May clicked her tongue. “Always stealing, getting caught up with a bad crowd, drinking.”

“That’s dangerous for someone as special as she is. Speaking of that, did you observe any signs of powers, gifted qualities, changes in physical appearance?”

“Other than cutting her own bangs, no,” May responded with a smirk.

“Teenagers,” Phil chuckled. “Is she safe now?”

The woman nodded. “As far as I know. She got herself into a bar party and we picked her up for underage drinking. She’s been at St. Agnes Orphanage for the past week while they find her a proper foster home.” She sighed. “But to be honest, Phil, not many people want to care for 16-year-olds anymore.”

Coulson pressed his lips together. “It is unfortunate. But you know as well as I do that we need to move her around often. We can’t let them find her.”

May sighed and nodded somberly. “I know...I know.”

Phil tapped the table. “You bring the report?”

“Right, yes.” Melinda reached into her purse and pulled out a manila folder stuffed full with papers. Phil pushed the papers into a neater stack then tucked the folder neatly into his briefcase. He stood from the table, pushing his chair in. “Are you planning on applying for a new assignment anytime soon? I’m available, if you wanna...get one together.”   
  


May pressed her lips into a thin smile. “I think I’m going to take a bit of a break,” she told him. “Enjoy the countryside, maybe.”

Phil sighed and nodded. “I understand.” He tipped a fake hat, smirking. “Best of luck to you, Melinda May,” he mused in a horrific British accent.

“Oh, stop,” Melinda chuckled and waved him off, beaming as she watched her former partner stride happily down the street.

\-----

Her first day back to school after getting arrested, Skye wanted to treat herself to some breakfast. She looked left and right before slipping out the back door of the orphanage and into the alleyway. She made her way down aways before finding her favorite donut shop. Just as she was about to get in line for her favorite cream-filled strawberry delight, she was yanked by the arm into an open garage. It was dark outside, so she hadn’t seen her ambushers before it was too late. Her eyes widening, Skye swallowed when she saw Brian and Alex in front of her.

“You’ve got a decision to make,” Brian muttered, an evil smirk appearing on his face. He let go of the girl, shoving her against the now-closed garage door. Skye was at a loss for words, too afraid to say anything. She fumbled with the door behind her but didn't get too far before Alex grabbed her and pulled her away.

“What’s it gonna be, little girl? You gonna hack for us or you gonna pay?”

“I’m gonna call the police,” Skye replied with a smirk. She ducked out of the man’s grasp and ran to the door, shoving it up and slipping outside through the small opening. She felt a sharp pain in her side and fell to the ground, groaning when she saw Brian standing above her.

“You ain’t getting away that easily,” he said, kicking her shoulder with his thick tennis shoe. Skye rolled away from him, panting as she grabbed the brick wall and pulled herself to her feet. 

“Leave me alone. Please. I didn’t take anything from you,” she muttered, out of breath. She bent over, her hands on her knees. 

“I don’t think you under _ stand _ ,” Alex said to her, taking his long legs and approaching her. He grabbed her shirt collar and pushed her up against the wall. Skye heard the sound of metal-on-metal and eyed the now-open Swiss Army Knife in his hand. Her heart began to race.

“Alex, please don’t- ”

Brian ran up to his accomplice. He furrowed his brow and shook his head at him. “C’mon, bro, don’t you think this is a bit far?”

Alex chuckled, glaring into the girl’s eyes. He seemed almost evil, like he no longer cared about anything but hurting her. “I don’t think so at all.” He raised the arm holding the knife and jabbed it into her shoulder, right under her collarbone.

“Ah!” Skye yelped when she felt the searing pain. “HELP!” She searched the alley left and right, hoping someone, anyone, was there to help her. No luck. “Please…” she mumbled, her voice weak. She yelled again when Alex yanked the knife out and stabbed her right below the first wound. “STOP!” she shouted. He stabbed her once more before Brian shouted at his accomplice and yanked him away from Skye.

“We’ve done enough for now,” Brian told him.

Alex glared at the girl, narrowing his eyes as he closed his Swiss Army Knife and shoved it into his pocket. “Maybe that’ll make her change her mind,” he said. The men watched the girl as she fell to her knees on the ground, her face contorted in pain as she grasped her bleeding shoulder. “But maybe just one more stab in the gut will  _ really _ \- ”

A loud bang sounded and Alex fell to the ground mid-stride, groaning in pain. Brian’s eyes widened and he looked for the source of the sound. He saw a short dark-haired woman holding a gun up from the other end of the alleyway. He cursed and ran off, not having time to grab his friend.

“Mary Sue!” May yelled, rushing to the girl on the floor. May had already called the police and they were on their way to arrest Alex. 

“It’s Skye…” she mumbled.

“Alright, Skye.” She cradled the girl’s head. “Are you okay? What did they hurt?”

“My shoulder…” Skye mumbled, taking her bloodied hand away and showing Melinda the wound. The woman gently removed Skye’s zip-up sweatshirt and visually examined the wound.

“He stabbed you _ three times _ ?” May asked, scowling. “That son of a bitch.” 

Sirens wailed in the distance. Melinda started applying gentle pressure to Skye’s wound with the jacket.    
  


“Ow…” Skye began to squirm. 

“Sit still,” May said through her teeth. She was on-edge about the man behind her. Skye sighed and closed her eyes, wanting to drift off into slumber. Last night, a girl in her dorm had gotten sick and the entire room had to evacuate for cleaning. She didn't get much sleep, and besides, her body was tired from all the action. 

The next thing she knew, four cops were running into the alleyway. “This him?” one asked May.

The agent nodded. “Alexander Hoffman. I believe we arrested one of his accomplices the other day.”

“Right, thank you, Offic- '' The man stopped himself. “May.” 

May pressed her lips into a small smile and nodded as the policemen lifted the injured Alex from the ground, handcuffing him and shoving him into their car. 

“What happened to her?” a female officer asked May, nodding to Skye. She took a notepad and pen out of her pocket.

“She was stabbed three times in the shoulder. None too deep, but he should be charged for it.”

The woman nodded, writing it down on the pad. “Noted. Do you need us to bring her anywhere?”

May shook her head. “I’ll take her to the hospital then drop her off at the orphanage. Thank you, Officer.”

The policewoman smiled and nodded, hopping into the car and driving off with the rest of them.

May sighed. “C’mon, Skye, let’s go.” She grabbed her under her good shoulder and lifted her to her feet. Skye opened her eyes and trudged along as the older woman dragged her to her car. May helped her into the passenger seat. She pointed at the bloodied sweatshirt. “Keep pressure on that wound.”

Skye nodded in compliance as May sat down in the driver’s seat, putting the key into the ignition.

Skye squinted as she drove out of the alleyway and onto the main road. “When was the most recent time you picked me up?”

May scoffed. “Last week, from the bar.”

“Ahh, right. I appreciate your amazing arresting skills, Officer…” She waited for the woman to finish her sentence for her. 

“Just May,” she replied, turning onto another road. “I’m not an officer anymore.”

“Then what are you?” Skye pushed her feet so she was sitting up more.

“I guess, a friend.”

\-----

“Three stab wounds in the shoulder,” said a nurse as she examined Skye’s injury. The girl was dangling her feet from the hospital bed, kicking them like a little kid would. She had gotten her energy up when the first nurse started her on pain meds. This current nurse was now scowling and looking to May as she cleaned off the wound. “How exactly did this happen?”

May sighed, starting to put on an act. She stood from the chair, walking over to Skye and putting her hand on the girl’s head. “Mary Sue loves to get herself into trouble, but this time, it happened in my kitchen. I left my steak knife on the counter, thinking my niece was old enough to be safe around it, but apparently not.” She glared at Skye. “This girl says when she opened the drawer to put it away, the drawer fell out of its hinges and the knives found their way to the floor. She slipped and fell onto three of them.”

The nurse raised her eyebrows, stopping her work for a moment. She looked to Skye for approval, but the girl just gave her a goofy smile. “Well, you’re just lucky they didn’t go in any deeper,” she said. She clicked her tongue when she removed the gauze from her shoulder. “Though, I think we should bring a doctor in to stitch these up, so as not to cause scarring.”

Melinda nodded, folding her hands in her lap. “Understood. Thank you, nurse.”

“Of course. He’ll be right with you.”

\-----

“Alright, how did you do it this time?”

“Do  _ what _ ?” Skye asked. Her right arm was in a sling (overkill in the girl’s opinion) and she was struggling to buckle her seatbelt. Melinda reached over and clicked it in place for her, then strapped her own on. She started the car.

“You know exactly what I mean. You get yourself into trouble at least weekly. I thought being at St. Agnes might at least deter you for a bit.”

Skye goofily laughed. “Apparently you were wrong.”

May couldn’t help but smile. She shook her head. “I think it’s best I let you stay with me for a bit. My dad’s got a nice lakehouse up in Oregon. While that nurse was bandaging your arm, I called my old partner and got him to deal with the paperwork to check you out of the orphanage for a bit.”

“As long as your crib is big, I don’t care.”

May pressed her lips together to hold back a laugh. “You know, for an orphan, you have impeccably expensive taste.”

Skye smiled smugly and shrugged with her good shoulder. “What can I say?” Her eyes widened in awe like a puppy when they passed by a restaurant. “Can you pleaseeeeee get me food? I’m so hungry. I never got to have my donut.” She turned to the older woman and poked out her lower lip, pouting.

May sighed, nodding. She pulled the car over into a parallel parking spot. “But we’re not gonna stay long, okay?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment and let me know what you think!


	3. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skye and May start to get to know each other, but both are hiding a lot...What happens when Skye starts to find out who Melinda May truly is?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all like this! No real trigger warnings other than a tiny bit of blood. Enjoy!

May arranged the pillows comfortably on the pull-out couch at her father’s lakehouse. She had sent Skye to clean up but the teenager was taking much longer than necessary. Melinda had already had time to unload the groceries they’d picked up, change clothes, shower, and set up Skye’s bed. Finally, the young hacker emerged from the master bathroom clad in an oversized long-sleeved tee and sweatpants. Her face was lit up. “I don’t know how many kids my age can say they’ve showered while looking at a lake nestled in the Rockies.”

May looked up and furrowed her brow at the girl’s outfit. “Skye, I told you to borrow some of _ my  _ clothes, not my dad’s.”

Skye shrugged as she picked up her backpack, sifting through it and grabbing her iPod. She dove headfirst onto the newly-made bed and kicked her feet up, plugging her headphones in and playing her favorite album. She slid her sling back on. “Yours were really….womanly.”

May scoffed and shook her head, playfully tossing a pillow she’d been holding onto Skye’s face. “I’m going to get some work done. I’ll be in the den if you need anything.”

Her music too loud to make out everything, Skye just smiled and shot the agent a thumbs-up with her good hand. May smiled and shook her head as she walked off. Though she was a little cocky and mischievous, this girl was growing on her.

\-----

“Are you ready to talk?” Melinda asked Skye at dinner. The teenager had been talkative during the meal but none of it had been surrounding herself, only the view from the deck. 

Skye swallowed the bite of tamale. She scowled. “About what?”

May sighed, taking a sip of water. “Not all 16-year-olds get themselves stabbed in an alley, you know. I need you to tell me how it happened.”

Skye sighed. She contemplated for a minute. “Well, you know, I could ask the same about you. I have  _ no _ idea who you work for.” She raised her eyebrows jokingly. “Don’t even know your name.”

Melinda looked down at her plate. “Melinda May,” she responded. “And I told you; I used to be a police officer and I’m taking some leave right now.”

Skye squinted. “What interest do you have in me, Ms. May?” She sighed and chewed on her cheek. “I think I mean to say, what’s in it for you?” She looked up at Melinda.

May bit her top lip. “I worked at St. Agnes for a while when you were a baby,” she lied. “Even when I switched jobs I wanted to know how you were. I’ve always cared about you, Skye.” In reality, May had only first heard about Skye a few months ago when she was given the assignment, but she had indeed wormed her way into the agent’s heart.

The teen smiled as she stared at the water below. “That’s actually...the sweetest thing someone’s said to me.” She turned to Melinda. “Not even a…” She sighed. “Not even a foster mom has said something like that to me before.”

“No one? No one at all?” May knitted her eyebrows and took Skye’s hand in her own.

Skye bit her cheek and pulled away. “Meh. Doesn’t make any difference. I’m used to it.” She grinned at May, but the older woman didn’t mirror Skye’s mood. The teenager frowned and looked away to watch the water trickle down the side of the mountain.

“You shouldn’t have to be.”

After a while, May sighed and stood from the table, taking her plate and rinsing it in the sink. “If you’re up for it, I’m going to be doing some Tai Chi in the garden tomorrow morning at five,” she told Skye.

“Tai...Chi? I didn’t know that existed outside of movies.” Skye stretched and yawned as she stood up. 

May rolled her eyes. “Of course it does. Do you know nothing about Chinese culture?”

Skye raised her eyebrows, approaching May and fidgeting with a bowl on the kitchen counter. “Supposedly I'm part Chinese myself. They found out when they did a blood test on me before I started kindergarten. Either my mom, my dad, or some of my grandparents are.”

May straightened her neck and studied the young hacker. “I didn’t know that about you,” she said. She went back to scrubbing the dishes. “A shame you never got to learn about your culture from your own parents.”

Skye bit her lip, nervous. She gripped the counter with her good hand. “Maybe you can…start by teaching me Tai Chi?”

\-----

“You married?”   
  


“Excuse me?” May scowled at the girl with disapproval. She shook her head. “None of your business, Skye.”

Skye shrugged, continuing to paint the rock she’d found. Her legs were sore from the early morning Tai Chi and she was getting tired. She and Melinda were now sitting on the porch overlooking the lake, the latter doing stretches to prepare for a run. “I kinda wanna know. I mean, if you are, the marriage obviously isn’t going well- ”

“Young lady, you have no idea what you’re talking about,” May whisper-shouted, glaring at the teen. Skye closed her mouth and rolled her eyes, going back to painting.

“I’m just sayin’,” she mumbled. 

Melinda’s face softened. She felt guilty for snapping at Skye. She sat up on her mat, clinging to her own ankles and pausing. “My marriage is doing fine, actually.”

Skye’s face lit up and she looked away from her painting. 

May sucked in a breath. “He doesn’t like me going on all these assign- ” She bit her tongue. “I have to move around a lot for work, and he just wants me to settle down.” She stood, brushing off the backs of her thighs and rolling the mat up.

“I think I know what you mean,” Skye said, drawing the sun part of the sunset painting she had been working on.

May laughed, tucking the rolled-up mat under her arm. “Oh, really?”   
  


Skye flicked the paint brush with her finger. “I mean, yeah. It’s happened to a few of my foster parents. I’ve had my fair share of families, you know.”

Melinda nodded. “I know. I am sor- ” Skye lifted her hand to stop her.

“I don’t want all that pity. It’s all I hear anymore.”

“I can only imagine.” May knitted her eyebrows. She pointed to the door with her thumb. “I’m going to go do some running on the hiking path. If you need me, I’ll have my cell with me.”

“You know you don’t need to treat me like a kid, right?” Skye grinned.

“You _ are _ a kid. Stop trying to be grown,” May playfully scolded, grabbing her keys.

Skye just rolled her eyes as her new mentor left the house.

\-----

“Skye!” May cheerfully exclaimed as she entered the house, almost singing. It wasn’t often she was in a good mood; she truly got her happiness from people surrounding her. All these months of solitary work did more harm than good. She tossed her keys and earbuds onto the kitchen counter and bent down to remove her shoes, tucking them neatly into the mudroom. When she came out, there was still no sign of Skye.

May furrowed her brow and entered the living room to see if she was sleeping on her pullout couch. No luck. She started to get anxious, worried that the teen had either ran away or gotten kidnapped. Melinda couldn’t explain this motherly urge she felt when it came to Skye, but it was most definitely prominent now. She swallowed and crept toward the den, opening the hidden cabinet within the wooden wall and taking out her handgun. She loaded it as quietly as possible and, holding it with both hands, started to search the house.

Just as she was approaching the master bathroom, May heard a loud crashing noise. Her heart racing, she closed her eyes and took one deep breath before bursting into the room, her gun raised. She found nothing.

Melinda scowled and, her gun still raised, made her way into the bedroom. She was fully ready to shoot until she saw a lump under the covers. Her face softening and her heart rate slowing, May let out a deep sigh and lowered her gun. It was just Skye. 

“You okay?” she asked softly, tucking the weapon into the back of her pants.

Skye mumbled groggily and emerged from under the covers, squinting. She widened her eyes and sat up. “Aw, crap, I...hope you don’t mind me sleeping in here.”

May sighed. “My dad doesn’t have to know.”

Skye tilted her head. “What’s wrong?” Melinda was searching the room.

“I heard a crash.” She lifted the bedskirt and looked underneath. 

The teenager gulped. “I may have…”   
  


May stood up straight and put her hands on her hips. “Yes?”   
  


Skye bit her lip and fiddled with her fingers. “I kinda broke the lamp.”

May shook her head. “Skye- ”

\-----

Melinda decided it was time to get Skye out of the house. She drove them to the nearby town and Skye insisted they go see a movie. May was reluctant but allowed it, making sure to keep a close watch on the people around them. The lamp incident had made her particularly on-edge and protective of the girl.

“She’s hot,” Skye said to May, pointing at the main female character on the screen as she chomped away at her popcorn.

May opened her mouth to say something and had to stifle a laugh. “I guess she is.”

“I think I might like girls.” She shrugged. “Makes no difference. Don’t have any parents to disappoint.” Skye unsuccessfully attempted to throw a piece of popcorn into her own mouth. She frowned at her failure. “Damn.”

May was about to say something to that when her phone started going off. She quickly silenced it and shuffled outside the theater, removing it from her pocket and answering it. “Weaver?”

The English accent was unmistakable.  _ “Greetings, Agent May. How’ve you been?” _

May shifted her weight. “I’ve been well, Anne. I mean, it’s only been a few days since I last reported.” She blinked. “Just...relaxing.”    
  


_ “Ah, sounds delightful.” _ May looked up and saw the other agent standing a few feet away in the theater. She sighed. She often despised SHIELD for tracking her. 

Weaver smiled and walked up to May, hanging up the call. “Apologies for the intrusiveness. Fury urgently needs something from you. Enjoying the cinema, hm?” She smiled and looked around. The grin faded when May didn’t reply. Anne adjusted her blazer. “Melinda, you seemed to have forgotten the last part of the Mary Sue assignment.”

May’s heart dropped. “P-Pardon…?”   
  


“Precisely. Upon reading through your debrief reports, you failed in one aspect. It says in fine print at the bottom…” She took a small note from her pocket and read from it. “‘Succeeding the eight-week observation assignment, DNA from the subject must be extracted for research.’ If you would like, I can accompany you to St. Agnes to- ”

“No, no, that won’t be necessary,” May assured the other agent, plastering a smile. She knew that she and Phil would be in big trouble for sneaking Skye from the orphanage if Weaver found out. “I have a hair sample from the station...I put it in my bag to give to Coulson but I suppose it didn’t get there.”

Weaver held her hand out. “May I have it then?”

Melinda bit her lip. “Well, it’s at the lakehouse with my bag- ”

“Hm.” Anne blinked. “I suppose I will accompany you there and retrieve it. I know it seems overkill, but Fury himself has asked for these samples. We need it, Melinda.”

May nodded. “Yes, I understand. If you’ll just give me one moment…” She plastered on a smile and pointed to the door to the theater, walking inside and grabbing Skye once she got to the seat.   
  


“Who called?” the girl asked. May had taken her by the shoulders and was now practically pushing her down the dark aisle. “Hey!” Skye whisper-shouted as she shuffled along next to the adult. “I was watching that- ”

“Shh,” May muttered. She stopped right in front of the door, knowing Weaver was on the other side. “Listen,” she whispered, taking her by the shoulders and looking into her eyes. “I’m in some trouble with the cops and they don’t know about you. One lady who’s waiting for me is on the other side of this door. I want you to walk out without me, go toward the exit, and hop into the trunk of my car. There’s a blanket and you need to cover yourself up. And I need this…” She reached over and plucked a piece of hair from her head.

“Wha- May- ” Skye huffed, crossing her arms and furrowing her brow. “I thought you were a cop.”

May bit her cheek, tucking the hair into a baggy then dropping her hands to her sides. “It’s more complicated than that, kid.”

Skye pushed away from May and shook her head. She was a little disappointed in her new mentor but it wasn’t like she hadn’t experienced her fair share of avoiding law enforcement. She finally sighed and nodded in agreement, waiting for May to slip back into the theater area before stepping outside. She saw a tall woman dressed in a business suit and knew immediately she was the one looking for Melinda. Skye ignored the tall woman, tossing her popcorn carton into the trash before making her way around the corner to a separate hallway. She went out the exit and hissed at the sunny day outside. She squinted as she ran toward May’s car, surprised to find it unlocked. She opened the trunk like she was told and hopped inside, taking the blanket and pulling it up to her neck. She figured she’d cover up fully once the older women got to the car.

“Yes, of course. I miss him,” came Melinda’s muffled voice from outside the car.  _ Took you long enough, _ Skye thought. She heard the doors click open and shut, then the sound of May starting the car. 

“I’m sure he would love you to come home,” came a British voice. Skye inferred it was the tall business-suit lady.

May sighed. “You know I can’t, Agen- um, Weaver.”

The British woman sighed as they pulled out of the parking lot. “With the Mary Sue case progressing nicely, the science division will take it from here to study her origins a bit more. You aren’t required to take any assignments right now.” Skye scowled, confused. Mary Sue case? Origins? Someone a few feet away honked, interrupting Skye’s thoughts and nearly making her jump and hit her head. “Go home, Melinda,” the Englishwoman said with a sigh.

\-----

“A lovely place, really,” Weaver complimented as she looked around the large home. She stepped toward the porch. “What a spectacular view.”

“Yes, yes, of course. Only the best for William May!” she chimed, plastering on a cheesy smile as she spread her arms out, displaying the house. 

Weaver managed a small smile, still clutching the purse in her hands in front of her. “I don’t mean to rush things, but I’ve got a meeting tonight and quinjets only fly so fast.”

“Yes, yes, let me go get the sample…” She shuffled out of the main room and into her bedroom to pretend like she was getting it from her bag. “SKYE!” she shouted without thinking. The girl was half inside the room and half out the window, her sling around her back like a purse. She looked at May like a puppy who ripped up the couch.    
  


“You have got some major explaining to do,” Skye muttered, wiggling around to get through the window.

May aggressively gestured toward herself. “Get in,” she said through her teeth.

“Agent May? Everything okay?” came Weaver’s voice. “Who in God’s name is Skye- ” She stared into the bedroom, dumbfounded.

“Oh, just my dog,” Melinda replied, smiling and kicking the pillow in front of the bed to hide Skye underneath. She grabbed a stuffed animal from the bed and started petting it. 

Weaver furrowed her brow. “You sure you’re alright, Melinda?”

“Yes, of course,” May replied. She set the stuffed toy down and handed the other agent the bag with Skye’s hair. “One sample of Mary Sue Poots’s hair for ya.”

Weaver pressed her lips together. “Thank you, May. I’ll bring this in. In the meantime, maybe see a professional,” she advised. She seemed genuinely concerned, which annoyed May, but she supposed it was better than mockery. She just smiled as she watched the tall, lean scientist leave her home.

\-----

“Okay, what the hell,” Skye grumbled as she climbed out from under the bed. She grabbed her sore shoulder. “Who and what…”   
  


May sighed. “I’m so sorry, Skye. I haven’t been the best example for you lately, have I?”

“I don’t  _ care _ ,” Skye said, sitting down on the dresser and slipping her sweater off over her head, peeling off the bandage on her shoulder. She winced at the blood. “Why is there a case to my name? Why are you all throwing around the words ‘agent’ and ‘assignment’ and ‘science division’? And why the hell are you trying to figure out my ‘origins’?! May, what is this??”

Melinda sighed and shook her head, a lump forming in her throat. She shouldn’t have let this happen. She knew her head hadn’t been in the game lately with all her marriage troubles. And now she’d gone and ruined a huge SHIELD operation. She reached into her purse and grabbed a few bandaids and cotton. She silently started to clean off Skye’s wound, placing a fresh bandage on it. “There’s a lot you can’t know.”

“That you’re a secret agent?” May’s eyes widened and she stopped fiddling with the bandage wrapper. Skye scoffed. “Oh,  _ please _ . I’m not an idiot.”

She certainly wasn’t, May knew that for sure. She stood from her kneeling position, trashing the bandage wrappers and wiping her bloodied hands off with a tissue. “Look, I didn’t want you to know any of this. You weren’t _ supposed _ to.” She and Skye made eye contact. “But I think you knowing all this entitles me to hearing about what’s been going on with you lately.”

“May, I- ” Skye stifled her own breath. “What even is there to explain?”

Melinda looked somberly into the girl’s eyes. “Your life isn’t normal, not in a single way. You can’t be perfectly okay with a life like this.”

“How about this…” Skye winced as she stood, sliding her sweater back on over her tank top and placing her arm back in the sling. “You tell  _ me  _ everything, and I tell you all you need to know.”

“Skye, there’s protocols- ”

“To hell with them. You think I’m going to go around telling people? In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t make friends.”

May sighed, shaking her head in disbelief. They stood there in silence for a solid two minutes. Finally, May opened her mouth and raised her eyebrows. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but…” She held her hand out to shake Skye’s. “We have a deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure where to take this from here so I'd appreciate some suggestions/feedback in the comments! :)

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoyed! If you want me to continue this, I can try, so just let me know in the comments.


End file.
